1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote access system for remotely operating a plurality of image processing apparatuses connected to a remote access apparatus via a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in order to remotely operate an image processing apparatus, an information processing apparatus, such as a computer, connected to the image processing apparatus via a network displays HTML information stored in the image processing apparatus using a WWW browser. By performing an operation on the screen using a displayed user interface, a user can control the image processing apparatus from the information processing apparatus.
There is a remote access system using a well-known application such as VNC (Virtual Network Computing). An image processing apparatus on the server side transmits screen data to an information processing apparatus on the client side. The information processing apparatus displays an operation screen on the basis of the screen data. Operation information when an operation is performed with a keyboard, a mouse or the like is transmitted to the image processing apparatus, and the image processing apparatus is remote-controlled. Such a remote access system is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-115039.
In the remote access system as described above, the information processing apparatus can acquire various reports about the conditions of the image processing apparatus, such as a job history, an error history, a communication history and a counter, from the image processing apparatus by performing a remote operation.
However, in the case of using a WWW browser, the description on the screen is in HTML, and the screen is different from the operation screen of the image processing apparatus. Therefore, a user cannot perform an operation as he does on the operation screen of the image processing apparatus, and there is a possibility that the user is confused about how to perform an operation.
Furthermore, in the case of using VNC, it is possible to operate only one image processing apparatus by one operation. In order to acquire reports from a plurality of image processing apparatuses, the information processing apparatus has to repeatedly perform the same operation for each of the image processing apparatuses. As described above, in the case of acquiring reports from a plurality of image processing apparatuses, an excessive burden is imposed on the user. Therefore, improvement of the operability is needed.
In response to a request from the information processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus creates a report and outputs it by printing on paper. Therefore, the user has to go to each image processing apparatus to go for the report. Even if a report is outputted by a remote operation, it takes much time to acquire it, and the merit of the remote access system cannot be enjoyed.
In view of the above situation, the object of the present invention is to provide a remote access system capable of acquiring reports outputted from plurality of image processing apparatuses by one operation.